PE, Sport And Wellbeing

A growing need for participation in PE and sports

The importance of sports and other activities in safeguarding young people’s physical health is well known^[1], but less often discussed is the strong positive impact they have on mental health. As the UK grapples with a worsening mental health climate among children^[2], it is worth emphasising what schools and their pupils stand to gain from sports and other physical activities when they are properly delivered.

In 2023, a survey of 5,481 young people aged between 13 and 15 was conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University across both state and independent schools in the UK. The survey assessed each child’s participation in sports, using metrics including the number of sports they participated in, the depth of their involvement and how important sport was seen as being at their school. Its results demonstrated a corroborating link between participation in sports at school and greater mental wellbeing and self-belief among children, regardless of the sector they were educated within.^[3]

Also noteworthy was the survey’s finding that the effects of mental toughness and self-efficacy on life satisfaction and happiness were greater for girls than boys. A separate Active Lives Children and Young People Survey conducted by Sport England for the academic year 2022-23 found a 22% gender gap in sport participation in schools. By bridging the participation gap, schools may stand to see significant benefits to both the physical and mental wellbeing of girls.

Of course, PE and sports are not the only forms of physical exercise that pupils can engage with at school, but they are the most common and the most widely supported by schools themselves. As the resources included in this KnowledgeBank will make clear, these provisions have a notably positive effect on all aspects of young people’s wellbeing, from their physical and mental health to their social skills, sense of belonging and academic attainment.

Benefits of physical activity for young people with SEND

Where the wellbeing of young people faces challenges, they are magnified for those with SEND. Research released by the Institute for Health Equity in 2018 indicates that long-term outcomes for people with learning disabilities are often bleak.^[4] They are seven times less likely to find paid employment than their peers and three times more vulnerable to criminal activity; shockingly, a full 50% suffer from chronic loneliness as adults.

As a consequence, enabling greater access to support for children with SEND is of vital consequence to their wellbeing and a necessary priority for leadership teams. Alistair Crawford, Specialist Leader of Education at St Martin’s School in Derby, stresses that PE and sport should be accessible regardless of a young person’s disability or needs, and that by improving their offering schools can ‘motivate [SEND] students to be more physically active and enjoy the associated health and social benefits this can bring’.^[5]

Just one example of this in action can be found in a study by the University of Maryland, which showed a link between physical activity and emotional functioning in children with ADHD. Researchers found that children with ADHD who participated in three or more sports displayed significantly fewer anxiety or depression symptoms than those who participated in fewer than three sports, suggesting that active sport participation may be associated with a reduced expression of anxiety or depression symptoms in children with ADHD.

Yet there is still not enough being done to address common accessibility issues that keep children with SEND from participating in physical activities, as the Class of 2035 research project found in its report that only 33% of disabled pupils agreed that their teacher or sports coach inspired them to be more active (rising to 42% among pupils without a disability).^[6] Young people clearly deserve better support in this area.

Options for making PE and sports more accessible

Ensuring the accessibility of physical activities in schools is critical to improving their uptake among young people, whether or not they have SEND. When considering how to improve a school’s offering, a good place to start is with the C-STEP Principle^[7] for adapting PE teaching:

Communication

When it comes to teaching physical skills in PE and sports, it is important not to overwhelm pupils with jargon or technical instructions. Strive to teach using their preferred communication methods or a mixture; verbal, symbolic or keyword-based instruction can be very useful as a support tool, as can Makaton^[8] with some pre-planning.

Space

Ensure the environment you use for sports and other physical activities is adapted for use by all pupils, giving consideration to the range of physical needs that will need to be accommodated. For instance, in order to allow wheelchair issues to use facilities, the space provided should be plentiful and free of obstructions to allow them to manoeuvre.

Task

Not all exercises may be doable by all pupils. Where possible, make changes and adaptations to the tasks that pupils are set to allow everyone’s full participation, whether that is in altering the way a skill is performed or changing a rule in a sport that poses an obstacle to some pupils’ abilities.

Equipment

Appropriate equipment can make a significant difference to the accessibility of a lesson. Modifications here are often necessary to enable the participation of all learners. For example, assistive ramps can be invaluable for letting motion-impaired students bowl a ball, and more sensory learners may appreciate being able to use objects that are larger or more tactile than the usual range.

People

The most important factor to young people’s success in sports and physical activity is the quality of support they receive from their teachers and coaches. Staff should be equipped to support all pupils regardless of their level of ability, breaking down complex activities into manageable steps and reframing or repeating their instructions where necessary.

Other pupils also have a role to play here. Mixed-ability groups provide role models to children who are less used to sports and can help to further their skill development with peer coaching and support.

Schools making progress

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more school leaders have become conscious of the importance of physical activity as a factor in children’s wellbeing and are moving to address faults in their provision. Vicci Wells identifies a number of these schools in her article, ‘Children With Disabilities Failing To Access Sport’, with insights for other education leaders to use to emulate their example.

Further exploration of the links between physical activity and wellbeing, as well as advice on improving physical education at your institution, can be found in this KnowledgeBank’s resources.

1. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/children.html
2. https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blogs/2023/november/new-report-from-nhs-england-shows-increase-in-children-experiencing-mental-health-difficulties/
3. https://womeninsport.org/news/more-girls-are-playing-football-but-a-significant-team-sport-gender-gap-remains/
4. https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/a-fair-supportive-society-summary-report/a-fair-supportive-society-summary-report.pdf
5. https://www.teachingtimes.com/inclusion-aspiration-the-power-of-sport/
6. https://www.youthsporttrust.org/research-listings/research/class-of-2035
7. https://asset.nasen.org.uk/CSTEP%20Poster_4.pdf
8. https://makaton.org/TMC/TMC/About_Makaton/What_is_Makaton.aspx